Radio Program for WVNE Life Changing Radio (Worcester / Boston)

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. The title of this morning's message is, It Can Always Be Worse. It can always be worse. No matter who you are, no matter what state you are in, no matter how bad you think you have it, my friend, it can always be worse.

And you might say, well, is that supposed to make me feel better? Yes, it is. Be thankful for what you have. Be thankful for what God has done. Because as we will see in a moment, things can always be worse.

The Healing at Bethesda and the Warning of a Worse Thing

John chapter 5, verses 1 through 14. After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches.

In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. Then whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well of whatever disease he had.

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been in that condition a long time, he said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up.

But while I am coming, another steps down before me. And Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked. And that was the Sabbath.

When the Jews therefore said to him who is cured, It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry your bed. And he answered them, He who has made me well said to me, Take up your bed and walk. And they asked him, Who is the man who said to you, Take up your bed and walk?

But the one who is healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn a multitude being in that place. But afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.

This is one of the most well-known healings of Jesus. The healing of the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda. And it's hard to imagine something being worse than being a paralytic, than being paralyzed.

I think if you were to ask some people, they would probably tell you that they would prefer death over being paralyzed. So there is something worse. According to Jesus, there is something worse than to be paralyzed.

And we will talk more about that at the end of the message. And again, the title of this morning's message is it can always be worse. Now listen, this is generally true. Please don't write in a letter explaining to me the worst of all possible situations.

There's usually exceptions to every rule, but most of the time, generally speaking, it can always be worse. And, you know, on the surface, this might even sound to be a little pessimistic that there are all these worse things out there that could happen to you.

But really, this is a good attitude to adopt. I just want to read to you what the apostle Paul says in Philippians chapter four. He said, I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things.

I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Oh, and by the way, the book of Philippians is known as a prison epistle.

So why don't you turn there, if you would, to Philippians chapter one. But just think about this. The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians. He said those words. He wrote those words while he was in prison, but he wasn't grumbling and complaining about it.

Matter of fact, in chapter two, he instructs Christians to do all things without complaining. So Paul was in prison. He didn't want to be there, obviously. But his attitude was essentially. Things could be worse.

You see, Paul, with help from the Lord, he didn't allow himself to get down, discouraged and defeated. Even while in prison, he could say that he learned to be content. And notice, he said he had to learn that it doesn't come natural.

It's not automatic. You have to learn to be content. And how is that possible? Because Paul walked in the will of God and because he understood the sovereignty of God. And because he understood those things, because he walked with God, he knew that God had him right where he wanted him.

My friend, if you are walking with God and seeking God's will in your life, God has you where you are for a reason. And that is reason enough to learn to be content with your situation. And remember, things can always be worse.

Look at Philippians chapter 1 verse 1. Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi with the bishops and deacons. I had said a moment ago that with the Lord's help, Paul didn't allow himself to get down and discouraged.

And listen, I'm sure he had his moments. But not only did Paul have the Lord while he was in prison, I'm sure it helped to have Timothy, a faithful Christian friend there to encourage him. Proverbs chapter 27 verse 17 says, as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Yes, Paul and Timothy were both in prison, but you know what? It could have been worse. Paul could have been in solitary confinement by himself without the freedom to write a letter and to send it to the ones he cared about, the church at Philippi.

So having Timothy there no doubt helped just as it helped in Acts chapter 16 when Paul was in prison with Silas. And do you remember what they were doing at midnight? They were praying and they were singing hymns unto God.

It could have been worse. Paul could have been muzzled. Now their feet were their feet were placed in the stocks, but they could have been muzzled to where they couldn't sing hymns unto God. So it can always be worse.

Obeying the Governing Authorities Without Forgetting God's Higher Authority

And I just have to point this out. Speaking of Paul being in prison, you know, in light of the current controversy where more and more Christians are being hassled because of all the coronavirus restrictions where pastors are now getting arrested and Christians are being fined in the United States of America because they are assembling for worship, even though they are social distancing and all the rest.

There are all of a sudden all of these people out there, their new favorite verse or passage to quote from the Bible is Romans chapter 13, that we are to obey the governing authority. So basically, if the government says churches must shut down, then we must obey and not gather for worship.

May I ask who wrote Romans chapter 13? Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was the apostle Paul, the same man that seemed to get arrested an awful lot. Just wanted to point that out. And Paul did not get arrested because he broke the law.

He didn't do anything unjust, certainly not in the eyes of God. Paul was arrested because the governing authorities were doing things that were unjust. It was the governing authorities that were abusing their power.

So, yes, Paul says obey the governing authorities, but that's the same man who got arrested. Seems like everywhere he went. Another example of this, if you'll allow me to digress for a moment. One of the most godly men in all of the Old Testament, Daniel.

Do you remember why Daniel was thrown into the lion's den? Well, it was because he broke an unjust law because he prayed and he did it openly defying the king's order. Because he did that, he was thrown into the lion's den.

But hey, it could have been worse. God didn't have to send the angel to close the lion's mouth, but he did. So here's the point. Let's not forget. Let's not forget God is the ultimate law giver. God is the ultimate governing authority.

So, yes, we obey Caesar as long as Caesar doesn't tell us to do what God forbids or forbid us from doing what God commands. You're in Philippians 1, look at verse 12. And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

So Paul is in prison, not a great situation, but did something good come from it? Yes, the furtherance of the gospel and the emboldening of the brethren to speak the word of God without fear. Look at verse 15.

Some indeed preach Christ, even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill. The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my chains. I'll explain that in a moment.

But the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. And in this, I rejoice. Yes, and will rejoice.

So because Paul was in prison, his critics took that as an opportunity to criticize Paul in their preaching. They probably said things like, well, the apostle Paul, he must be outside of God's will. Paul must have done something wrong.

God must be punishing him. So they were preaching, Paul says, out of selfish ambition. They wanted to put Paul down so they could be lifted up. And he says they're not being sincere, supposing to add affliction to my chains.

But Paul could rejoice. Why could Paul rejoice? Because at least they were still preaching Christ. Sure, they may have been adding insult to injury by dragging Paul's name through the mud in their preaching.

But could have been worse. At least they were preaching Christ. And something good came of Paul's imprisonment. You see, things can always be worse. That's the attitude we need to have. This is what you need to tell yourself when you start feeling down and just bad about things.

When you maybe feel like people are against you. Maybe you feel like the whole world is against you, which probably isn't true. But no matter how it seems, no matter how bad you think your situation is, it can always be worse.

Perspective, Contentment, and the Grace of God

So really, it's about perspective. It has been said that in a country of the blind, a one-eyed man is king. But then, of course, if the blind are given their sight, that same one-eyed man then is to be pitied.

So it's about perspective. Sometimes we don't realize how good we have it. Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, MorrisCornickChurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, may the grace of God be with you.